Shannon Gomes•Apr 1, 2025
If you’re looking for your next vacation, why not incorporate some luxury? After months of hard work and saving up, it’s safe to say that you’ve earned it. With so many premium destinations in the US, making the right choice can be overwhelming. That’s where Wander comes in.
We’ve drawn insights from food, accommodation, and activities to discover the most luxurious states in the US. From Michelin-Guide restaurants to luxury rentals on Wander, Yachts, and spas, we’ve found the best US states to give you the premium vacation you crave.
We’ve examined Michelin Guide restaurants, spas, luxury yacht marinas, golf courses, and accommodations to reveal the most luxurious US vacation states.
| Rank | State | Population | Michelin Guide Restaurants per 100,000 People | Spas Rated 5 Stars | Luxury Yacht Marinas per 100,000 people | Golf Courses per 100,000 People | Luxury Rentals available on Wander per 100,000 people | Luxury Escape Score /10 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Florida | 22,975,900 | 0.65 | 18.90% | 1.58 | 4.86 | 0.26 | 8.04 |
| 2 | Maine | 1,402,110 | 0.00 | 23.05% | 2.21 | 9.91 | 0.07 | 6.86 |
| 3 | Hawaii | 1,430,880 | 0.00 | 36.60% | 0.77 | 5.94 | 0.21 | 6.65 |
| 4 | New York | 19,469,200 | 1.94 | 14.47% | 0.36 | 4.33 | 0.07 | 6.61 |
| 5 | California | 38,889,800 | 1.45 | 12.87% | 0.23 | 2.40 | 0.21 | 6.04 |
| 6 | Georgia | 11,145,300 | 0.51 | 11.29% | 0.39 | 3.54 | 0.17 | 5.92 |
| 7 | South Carolina | 5,464,160 | 0.00 | 20.64% | 1.35 | 5.93 | 0.02 | 5.79 |
| 8 | Vermont | 647,818 | 0.00 | 26.35% | 0.00 | 9.42 | 0.62 | 5.63 |
| 9 | Colorado | 5,914,180 | 0.78 | 19.34% | 0.00 | 4.33 | 0.10 | 5.63 |
| 10 | Alaska | 733,536 | 0.00 | 21.24% | 10.91 | 3.27 | 0.14 | 5.51 |
Florida is the best state for a luxurious escape, scoring 8.04 out of 10. It is an excellent place for a luxury vacation, boasting beautiful beaches, high-end resorts, shopping centers, and stunning landscapes.
Aside from 4.86 golf courses per 100,000 people, Florida ranks in the top 10 for all our factors. Florida has the third-highest number of Michelin Guide restaurants in the US and the sixth-highest when normalized against its population. The Sunshine State also has the second-highest number of five-star spas and the eighth-highest percentage of spas rated five stars.
Maine is in second place, with a luxury escape score of 6.86 out of 10. The Pine Tree State has the third-highest percentage of spas rated five stars, at 23%. Maine also has the fourth-highest number of luxury yacht marinas per 100,000 people and the fifth-highest number of golf courses per 100,000.
Maine’s natural beauty and high-end resorts make it an excellent place for a high-end escape. Located on the Gulf Coast, Maine is also a great place to hire a boat or yacht and enjoy being at sea.
Hawaii completes our top three with a luxury escape score of 6.65 out of 10. Hawaii has the best-rated spas in the US, with 36.6% of spas rated five stars. The Aloha State also has the 10th-highest luxury yacht marinas per 100,000 people and the eighth-highest high-end rentals available on Wander per 100,000 people. Hawaii's culture truly emphasizes relaxation and hospitality. It has gorgeous natural scenery, golden beaches, and many unique activities, such as helicopter rides over volcanic craters and guided hikes through rainforests.
If you’re looking for an unforgettable culinary experience, New York is the best place in the US. The Big Apple has more Michelin guide restaurants than any other state, with 1.94 per 100,000 people. New York also has the second most Michelin guide restaurants, with 337.
New York’s several Michelin-guide restaurants serve multiple cuisines, including Japanese, Mexican, and Italian. However, if you’re looking for an authentic taste of New York, you should try the food this state is famous for, including its pizza, bagels, and cheesecakes.
Hawaii has the best-rated spas, with 36.6% of those rated five stars. There are 735 spas in Hawaii, with 269 rated five out of five stars. As a state, Hawaii is known for its unique spa treatments and healing powers, and central to this experience is the Lomilomi massage. This treatment is known for its stress reduction, emotional healing, improved circulation, and aiding detoxification.
Rhode Island takes the top spot, with 26.77 luxury yacht marinas per 100,000 people. Rhode Island has a rich yachting culture, with the America’s Cup, the New York Yacht Club, based in Newport, and several wealthy residents leading to a higher concentration of large yachts. Rhode Island’s scenic coastline also has favorable sailing conditions, making for an incredible experience.
North Dakota is the golfing capital of the US, with 14.45 golf courses per 100,000 people. Although North Dakota may not be best known for its golf courses, its 114 are the most accessible when normalized against its population. Hawktree Golf Club, King’s Walk, and The Links of North Dakota are among the most popular courses in North Dakota.
Montana has the most luxury rentals available on Wander, with 0.79 per 100,000 people. Nine luxury rentals are available on Wander, the 11th-highest total in the US. Due to its low population, Montana is great for privacy and seclusion and has convenient access to Yellowstone National Park. The scenery in Montana is breathtaking, and it's an excellent place for adventure.
We’ve delved into Golf Digest’s list of the top 100 golf courses in the US to find out which state is home to the most.
| Rank | State | Number of Top 100 Courses |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York | 15 |
| 2 | California | 13 |
| 3 | Illinois | 6 |
| 3 | Massachusetts | 6 |
| 4 | New Jersey | 5 |
| 4 | Ohio | 5 |
| 6 | Oregon | 4 |
| 6 | North Carolina | 4 |
| 7 | Georgia | 3 |
| 7 | Pennsylvania | 3 |
| 7 | Florida | 3 |
| 7 | Michigan | 3 |
| 7 | Wisconsin | 3 |
| 7 | Colorado | 3 |
The state with the best golf courses is New York, with 15 courses featured in Golf Digest’s top 100. Shinnecock Hills Golf Club, National Golf Links of America, and Fishers Island Club are the best-rated golf courses in America, ranked fourth, seventh, and ninth, respectively.
California is second, with 13 golf courses featured in Golf Digest’s top 100 in the US. Cypress Point Club is the highest-ranked course in California, in third place. Pebble Beach Golf Links and Los Angeles Country Club: North are the subsequent best-ranked courses, in 12th and 16th place, respectively.
Illinois and Massachusetts share third place, with six golf courses featured in Golf Digest’s top 100 US courses.
Illinois's highest-rated course is Chicago Golf Club, which is ranked in 13th place. Chicago Golf Club was the country’s first 18-hole course when it opened in 1893. Shoreacres and Butler National Golf Club are the second and third-highest-ranked courses, in 55th and 75th place, respectively.
Massachusetts's highest-rated courses included The Country Club: The Main Course, ranked 19th; Myopia Hunt Club, ranked 50th; and Old Sandwich Golf Club, ranked 63rd by Golf Digest.
We used the Michelin Guide to find the number of Michelin Guide restaurants in each US State. This data is accurate as of February 28th, 2025.
We used Tripadvisor to find the number of spas in each US State. We then recorded the number of spas rated 5 stars before calculating the percentage of spas rated 5 stars.
We used Golf Now to find the number of golf courses in each US state.
We used the Super Yacht Services Guide to find the number of luxury yacht marinas in each state.
We used Wander to find the number of luxury rentals available in each state.
All data was normalized per 100,000 people, except for Tripadvisor’s spa ratings, which were measured by percentage.
We then used this data in a weighted table, giving each factor a normalized score out of 10. We then averaged these scores to get our overall luxury escape score.
Finally, we used Golf Digest’s list of the top 100 courses to find out which state has the most. This was separate from the weighted table.
All data is accurate as of February 28th, 2025.
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